Wednesday, March 17, 2010

You no longer need to be a Sherlock Holmes to discover why the Great Detective has remained popular for over 100 years. It's elementary with Wiley Publishing's brand new Sherlock Holmes for Dummies, by Steven Doyle!

Sherlock Holmes is a classic character that has fascinated readers for decades, and now this indispensable guide explores the enduring detective’s stories like never before. In Sherlock Holmes for Dummies, you'll discover the rich characters, recurring themes, and social context of Arthur Conan Doyle’s
tales; the influence of Holmes on literature and pop culture; and why his stories still offer endless and fascinating new discoveries to readers.

"For over a century, Sherlock Holmes has mesmerized readers,"
comments Steven Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. "Holmes set
the standard for detective fiction, and has inspired hundreds of fan clubs and
literary societies around the world."

Every aspect of the Sherlockian phenomenon is covered in Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. The reader will meet Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created the world’s greatest detective, and learn about Victorian London, where the Holmes stories take place.

There's new insight into the classic novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, as well as the forensics and detective work that made Sherlock Holmes famous. You'll discover why Holmes and Watson are such beloved characters, and experience Sherlock Holmes today, from the ever-expanding network of worldwide fans, to story locations that fans can visit. It’s all covered in Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. Nicholas Meyer, movie director, screen writer, and author of the best-selling The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, says that “Sherlock Holmes for Dummies is essential reading."

Steven Doyle is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the legendary
Sherlockian literary society founded in 1934, and has written or edited six
previous books on Sherlock Holmes. He is co-founder of Wessex Press, the world’s premier publisher of books on the Great Detective.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Hot on the heels of their previous Sherlock Holmes audio releases (David Stuart Davies' one-man plays Sherlock Holmes - The Last Act and Sherlock Holmes - The Death and Life), Big Finish is rolling out a full-cast adaptation of Brian Clemens' play Holmes and the Ripper.The cast features Nicholas Briggs (Dr. Who voice of the Daleks) as Sherlock Holmes and Richard Earl as Dr. John H. Watson, alongside India Fisher (Katherine Mead), Lex Shrapnel (Netley), Samuel Clemens (The Stranger), Matt Addis (Sir William Gull), Ian Brooker (Assistant Commissioner Anderson), Beth Chalmers (Mrs Hudson), David Peart (Lord Salisbury), and John Banks (Saunders). For details on the cast click here.

Synopsis:

The grisly serial killings of prostitutes and vulnerable women in Victorian Whitechapel, dubbed by the popular press as the work of ‘Jack the Ripper’ are the talk of London, and from deep within the smog-ridden slums, yet another piercing shriek is heard.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr John H. Watson are drawn into one of the darkest plots ever to shake the foundations of England. There are freemasons, conspiracies and plots at the highest level of the establishment.

But for Holmes, there is a uniquely personal element to this new and terrifying case…